Somebody to die for
by Calzonaforthewin
Summary: Arizona shows her devotion to Callie, but will it take her life?
1. Chapter 1

This is a story of devotion.

Song in _Italics_ is Somebody to die for by the Hurts

Richard and Bailey were standing together looking at the OR board...

"Quiet board Chief" Webber says shaking his head

"Quiet board usually means one thing Richard" responds Bailey knowingly.

"Hey we're all done in OR 2 if you need it!" Callie says coming out of the operating room.

"No need Torres" Bailey replies nodding at the board making Callie follow her direction and she spots the board.

"Uh oh...that can't be good...Coffee cart it is then" Callie says.

...

As Callie makes her way to the better coffee cart just out the front of the hospital she can see her ex-wife laughing, and potentially flirting, with the coffee girl who she thinks name is Eva. 'Deep breath Callie' she thought to herself walking up to them.

"Dr Torres the usual?" Asks Eva noticing the doctor approaching her coffee cart.

"Please but make it extra large" replies Callie then focuses on Arizona, who she can't help but admire such natural beauty in the woman...just for a moment..."Hey are you just starting for the day?"

"Sure am, just getting my caffeine fix & gossiping with Eva" says Arizona

Callie's chuckles softly at this "sure looked like flirting from afar" she whispered after moving to the side of the cart.

Arizona looks at Callie with somewhat of an unreadable expression "what would it matter if I was?" asks the blonde.

Callie soon goes quiet.

"She's gorgeous after all" she continues, trying to work out Callie.

"Your right she is pretty, don't mind me, I'll just be grabbing my coffee and heading back in, have fun flirting!" replies Callie, taking her latte from Eva "thanks" she says bluntly.

As Callie walks back into the hospital she hears the laughter start back up behind her, looks over her shoulder and sees Eva hand a piece of paper to Arizona 'someone has scored' thinks Callie...not to sure why her heart ached a little at that thought.

...

From her position by the coffee cart, Arizona watched Callie walk away in her peripheral vision 'that worked!' She thought to herself after realising she had made her ex-wife jealous, causing a little victory dance in her head. Yes, even after all this time and many flirtations with cute women, Arizona was still very much in love with her favourite Latina woman and doubted that would ever change. Arizona thanked Eva for her coffee (and phone number which she wouldn't use) and sat on a bench outside the hospital taking a moment to reflect. It was a sunny day in Seattle and her day mainly consisted of paperwork and board meetings. 'A board member...I still can't believe we own this hospital!' Arizona thought then continued her inner thinking 'I can't believe anything that's happened over the past few years - the fighting, the plane crash, deaths of some of her dearest friends, cheating, making up, a miscarriage, therapy, a break, a crash course in neonatal medicine, saving a colleague's life, a divorce, moving out of my own house, only seeing my daughter part-time, losing the only woman I've ever really loved who has ruined the chance of me ever loving someone else...what is my life now and how did it go so wrong?!' Arizona thought to herself. _I could drag you from the ocean,_

 _I could pull you from the fire_

 _And when you're standing in the shadow_

 _I could open up the sky_

 _And I could give you my devotion_

 _Until the end of time  
_

 _And you will never be forgotten_

 _With me at your side_

 _Cause I don't need this life_

 _I just need…_

Arizona's pager went off letting her know the first board meeting was in 15 minutes. Sighing, she made her way inside, noticing Callie and Penny at the reception desk hugging then breaking away only to kiss each other which caused Arizona to continue the other way, her heart aching at the scene.

 _I've got nothing left to live for_

 _Got no reason yet to die_

 _But when I'm standing in the gallows_

 _I'll be staring at the sky_

As Arizona made her way to enter the lift she was barged out of the way by a man exiting the lift.

"Hey watch it!" She yelled at him spinning around to face him, he turned back to Arizona and apologised with a rushed "sorry" before carrying on his mad run, it was only then she noticed something shiny tucked in the back of his jeans...'he's got a knife!' she thought as the lift door closed 'damnit!' she thought, morphing into her "Good man in a storm" mode, she had to get off the next floor and run down stairs.

As the doors opened Bailey and Webber were about to enter but she stopped them both "Quick come downstairs with me, there's a man with a knife tucked in his jeans, we need to make sure he's not going to do something!" She told them hurriedly.

"What!?" Bailey asked

"Quick lets go, Robbins did you see what he looked like?!" Asked Richard as the three of them quickly made their way to the staircase.

"Not a great one he was in a rush out of the lift and barged past me but he had a denim jacket and red baseball cap" she rushed out.

"Oh no...that guy was just up here and asked me where he could find Dr Torres..." Richard said disbelievingly.

Arizona stomach dropped at this sentence and she paused to look at Richard.

"What, what...did he say why?" Arizona asks, praying to the sky the knifed man hadn't yet got to Callie who was downstairs.

"No he was just in a hurry! I had spotted her talking with Blake over the balcony...and pointed her out" ...

"Damnit Richard! Come on we need to be subtle when we get down there, it's the main lobby so don't want to worry people if we don't have to!" Said Bailey, in full on Chief mode.

As they made their way through the main lobby, all three of them were looking for either Callie or the man but trying not to draw attention from anyone. Webber spotted Penny first.

"Blake! Where's Torres?" He asked

"She's just talking with an old patient's father, he um, his kid was injured a few months ago after a car crash and needed a double leg amputation...it didn't go well and the child didn't make it through surgery - it hit Callie quite hard and the dad has been calling her every week since to keep going through why his kid died" explained Blake.

'Oh my god this isn't good!' Arizona thought to herself but couldn't find any words, she needed to find them.

As if reading her mind Bailey piped up "where did they go Blake?" She asked.

"Just into meeting room A, is everything ok?" Asked Penny but she didn't get a response until Richard turned back to her "do you remember the patients name?" He asked.

"The girl was Beth Miller" she responded.

Arizona led the trio quickly towards there intended destination but Webber pulled her to a stop.

"Just wait a minute we need a plan!"

"Richard I just need to get in there and make sure Callie is safe!" responded Arizona whose head was going 100 miles per hour.

"We don't need to startle him or make things worse. Bailey, you do what you need to do with the authorities. Robbins, let me go in, you've got a kid!" Richard tries to reason.

"Yeh and that kid is also Callie's baby girl so I need to make sure she doesn't get hurt! You've recently got married and found out you have a kid too! All I've got now is Sofia and I'm not going to let her lose another parent! Just stay out here to trap him if he makes a run for it! Please Richard!" replies Arizona

"Arizona don't do it" he says

"I have to"

"Be cautious and don't get hurt, just try to talk it out until the police get here!" He gives Arizona a look as if telling her not to do anything stupid - mind made up she faces the door.

 _Because no matter where they take me_

 _In death I will survive_

 _And I will never forgotten_

 _With you by my side_

As soon as I push the handle gently to make my way into the room I can already here this man's angry but hushed tone telling Callie how it's all her fault, it's only when I fully enter the room the terror hits me - he's got his arm wrapped around Callie's neck holding her in place and the knife in his other hand. The scene in front of me forms a lump in my throat, my eyes go wide, I look at Callie who can see I've entered and she sobs instantly.

 _And I don't need this life_

 _I just need…_

 _Somebody to die for_

 _Somebody to cry for_

 _When I'm lonely_

Arizona stiffens immediately and makes herself know calmly "Mr Miller" she says and the man with the cap and knife snaps his head around.

"What the hell do you want, get out now, it's only Dr Torres I want to speak with!" He says sharply.

"Now Mr Miller I think I know why you're here...it's about Beth isn't it?" Arizona prods the man who is still holding both Callie and the knife tightly.

"Don't speak of my daughter when you don't even know us!" he's angry, grieving, lost.

"I know, one of my PEDs surgeons assisted Dr Torres on the case so I know and I'm very sorry for your loss Mr Miller" Arizona tells him sincerely but trying to keep an eye on Callie, who is staying quiet - they lock eyes and Callie barely nods letting Arizona know she can still breathe and is ok considering. Arizona focuses back on the distraught father, one hand remaining in her pocket the whole time.

"Mr Miller I'm telling you the truth, these surgeons did everything they could to try and save your daughter but her injuries were far too severe for such a small person to survive. It hurts, I know, especially when you lose someone as close as a child, I see it regularly with my job unfortunately. We can help you grieve and go through the motions, we have that help here but this isn't the way to deal with it." says Arizona trying to reason with the man, slowly edging her way closer to the pair to try and gain some control.

"No, she was the main doctor and she's going to pay for it, a life for a life seems fair" he says, moving the knife to a former grip.

"It's not fair at all, Dr Torres helps people for a living, she fixes people when they're broken, she's a healer and she has a young daughter too. You know what it's like losing a family member, look what it's done for you - do you really want Dr Torres' beautiful daughter to grow up without her mum? To know her amazing mother was killed because of grief? Please Mr Miller, just look at me. You don't have to do anything stupid here" says Arizona coaxing the man and it appears to be making an impact, he looks into Arizona's eyes.

 _When I'm standing in the fire_

 _I will look him in the eye_

 _And I will let the devil know_

 _That I was brave enough to die_

"You really think that speech will make me stop, I lost my daughter, my daughter, I shouldn't have buried my only child and someone needs to pay for it!" Arizona keeps her eye contact but briefly looks to Callie who has tears running down her face, silently begging Arizona to just leave the room and let it happen, the blonde shakes her head once and looks back to the man. Plan B.

Arizona steps closer again.

"DON'T! Don't come any closer or I'll kill her I swear to you!" I think he means it with the look of the devil in his eye.

 _And there's no Hell that he can show me_

 _That's deeper than my pride_

 _'Cause I will never be forgotten_

 _Forever I'll fight_

The next few minutes were a tense stare down between Arizona and Mr Miller. Arizona gritted her teeth "If you hurt her, I won't be responsible for my actions" she tells him.

Mr Miller just laughed at this menacingly and raised his hand holding the knife, the next event happened in a blur. Arizona pulled out of her pocket her phone she had been holding onto the whole time and out of reflex threw it at the man's head making direct contact, enough to startle him and loosen his grip on Callie who broke free. Arizona shouted to Callie to "RUN!" whilst she dived at the man to tackle him to the ground. Arizona heard the door open and she briefly relaxed knowing Callie was safe but now she was wrestling with a man almost twice her size. Mr Miller quickly reacted to Arizona and gained momentum, throwing Arizona off him whilst he grabbed his knife and lurched forward at her and made contact with her prosthetic leg. Arizona took the opportunity of his shock of hitting a metal leg to sweep his feet with her good leg making him fall down to the ground, she got up as fast as she could and made for a quick escape. It was too late. The man was too fast. Arizona had just enough time to open the door, see shocked and worried faces looking on from a distance (including Callie who looked horrified) and a few police snipers pointing their guns at the door she had opened. All at the same time, Arizona felt a sharp pain in her lower back, a gun shot and Callie's voice screaming her name before she hit the ground in agony and her world went black.

 _And I don't need this life_

 _But I need…_

 _Somebody to die for_

 _Somebody to cry for_

 _When I'm lonely_

Callie ran straight to Arizona quickly followed by Webber, Bailey and Karev who had all been outside the room for the fall out. They tried to assess what had happened, blood was quickly coming from the stab wound on Arizona's lower back, her kidney, Karev took off his lab coat and applied pressure.

 _"_ Arizona what the hell did you do that for you idiot!" Callie couldn't believe what had happened and wasn't sure if Arizona could hear her or not. She couldn't understand why her ex-wife would risk her own life to save her.

"Arizona please stay with me, think about Sofia, she can't lose you! Neither can I! Please wake up, wake up! Callie started shaking, tears flowing freely. Penny had approached Callie to try and pull her away to let the others work on her.

"No!" Callie shrugged her off, holding onto Arizona's hand "I can't let go, she just risked her life for me! I can't let her go!"

"Torres, you need to let us work on her!" Bailey told her sternly.

"No Bailey you don't understand I need her! To be alive...she has to live. I need to tell her something" Callie explained urgently.

"Callie she needs you too, she loves you but she needs you to let go so we can save her!" said Webber after checking for a pulse with no success.

Callie looked down at Arizona, still crying and fighting an internal battle but quickly coming to a solution, leant down to Arizona's ear and whispered to her "don't scare me, you need to pull through this, for Sof and for me. I need you to survive so I can tell you I still love you and need you back" Callie then looked to Arizona's pale face, she couldn't help but lean in and kiss her briefly on the lips as if to give Arizona something to fight for.

 _And I don't need this life_

 _I just need…_

 _Somebody to die for_

 _Somebody to cry for_

 _When I'm lonely_

 _Don't go gentle into the good night_

 _Rage on against the dying light_

One-off...or two-parter...hmmm


	2. Chapter 2

Callie's POV

It's been 4 hours and 38 minutes since Arizona was taken into the OR. I know the best team of surgeons are working on her but I've not been able to stop worrying about her. After all she is my ex-wife, of course I'm going to worry about her, I always will. My ex-wife who I'm still in love with, always have been and always will be.

Even though I'm with Penny, it's just not the same - even through all the bad times, my life with Arizona was the best time of my life. The love, passion and life we shared outweighed the bad moments...which there were more than a lifetime of in our relationship. God I would give everything I have right now just to make sure she pulls through this, I can't believe she put her life on the line for me like that.

"Torres?"

"Oh sorry I was in another world" I replied to Bailey who came to sit next to me.

"Should I even ask how you're holding up?"

"Honestly I have no idea, she just needs to survive!" I reply.

"Come on this is Robbins you're talking about, didn't you know she's immortal?!"

"What?"

"She's a survivor - gossip is she's indestructible according to the interns" explains Bailey.

"She sure is, I can't believe what life has thrown her way..."

"She's not the only one...you've gone through enough yourself to qualify!"

"Thanks Bailey. How much longer will they be?" I ask her, I couldn't face it sitting in the gallery & seeing Arizona in that state.

"Well she's lost a lot of blood so they're doing a transfusion, the stab wound is quite deep, they're trying to save her kidney but it's 50/50 if she'll need a transplant" explains Bailey.

"If she does I'll donate mine, we're a match" I respond almost instantly, not even thinking twice about it.

"I thought you'd say that, are you sure?"

"Miranda, she saved my life today. There's no question about it! Remember a few months back you asked me the question about cheering on Sof at the Woman's World Cup Final?"

"Of course, you never did answer that by the way" the Chief replied.

"I know the answer, heck I even knew back then but I couldn't say it out loud, I had a girlfriend...still have a girlfriend...but it's never been her. I saw Arizona, every time I close my eyes it's always that perky, beautiful blonde I see. She captured my heart and life the first time we met, my life has never been the same since. Even these years we've spent apart, she's still the biggest part of me." I admit to Bailey.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" asks Bailey.

"I can't do anything. She's moved on, she's happier these days"

"Callie Torres if you think that then you're a fool!" Bailey harshly tells me with a punch to my arm...

"Bailey what the hell?!" I yell back

"The woman is madly in love with you! If you can't see that then you're a blind fool!" harsh.

"She can't be...if she was she would have said something over the years!" I can't believe Bailey has the audacity.

"Or she's put on a hell of a good cover to ensure you're happy because that's all she's wanted since you walked out on her! You told her in that room you were happier without her and all she ever wants is you and Sofia to be happy!".

"How do you know all of that?" I ask not sure if I'm going to believe her or not.

"Me and Robbins are friends, we go for coffee every weekend. Remember...Bailey knows everything!" Miranda responds.

I throw my head in my hands and contemplate this new information. I thought I had cried all the water from my body these past few hours but clearly not as a fresh wave attack me, I can't believe how selfless Arizona has been, putting me first even when we're apart and then putting herself in front of danger for me today, she's committed and loyal, a good man in a storm she sure was.

"What the hell do I do now?" I ask out loud, not sure if it's to myself or Bailey as she stands up due to her pager going off - ER not OR thankfully.

"That's up to you and I can't choose for you...but like I've said before...I'm more of a roller girl myself" she responds walking away with a knowing smirk.

I lean back in the chair and take a deep breath with a lot of new information over the past 20 minutes to process. Before I can even think my phone ringing startles me, Penny.

"Hey" I say, not wanting to answer but she's looking after Sofia.

" _Hey babe are you ok? I just had a call from Cross_." I hate being called babe!

"I'm not ok but can you bring Sof in for me please? Page me when you get here." I tell her hanging up instantly.

I get up and start pacing up and down the surgery corridor again, nervously fiddling with my hands. With another look at the clock I sigh '5 hours and 18 minutes'. When I turn around at the top of the corridor I hear a door open behind me, spinning around I see Meredith and can't read her expression.

"Callie..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Mer is she ok?"

"I just wanted to update you, we're not done just yet, the knife went quite far into the kidney so there's still some damage control but she's stable. I thought you should know, she should be done within the next two hours" Meredith tells me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks for letting me know, I'm just going to wait here." I walk back to the seats and sigh deeply.

After sometime I hear footsteps approaching and they sit in the chair next to me

"I thought it was time you had one of these" says Richard handing me a coffee

"Thanks" I reply, sipping the coffee which was heaven sent right now

"So...you ok?" asks the former Chief

"As good as can be expected. Bailey just had an interesting chat with me. Hey, you're Arizona's wingman, tell me the truth...does she still love me?" I ask Webber

"Torres she's never stopped" says Richard "That woman loved you from the moment she saw you and she still loves you, you're the only one for her! Yes we went to find new women for her but she never took any numbers or went further than the odd kiss. None of them were you is her reason"

"I just can't understand why she's not said anything to me" I tell him, finding it hard to process everything

"That final day in therapy. It was a confusing day for her, you had both shared a lovely evening before and when she entered that room, she thought it was for the last time as you had both resolved everything. To her, you were both going in to say thank you to the therapist, she had no idea you were going to end the relationship. The greatest relationship of her life." Richard explained, clearly knowing the story from Arizona's POV anyway.

"You seem to know a lot...any more?" I ask him.

"You misinterpreted her use of the word 'anchor' in that session. You assumed it was negative - that you were holding her down in one place, drowning her and not letting her be happy or free. What she actually meant when she called you her anchor, was how you are able to keep her grounded in life. After all the bad that happened to her in life, the one happy thing she could count on being steady was the love you shared, your love was the anchor to a disruptive life of tragedy. Every time something bad happened - missing her brother, Africa, the shooting, the car crash, the plane crash, losing Mark, the storm, the miscarriage, the divorce, seeing you move on - she's still always loved you and your beautiful daughter throughout that, it's always that great love that keeps her feet moving one in front of the other every day. You two keep her alive, even when you're not in her life like you were. You are her happy. Then you informed her that you were happier without her, once in that room and again when you talked about Blake to her for the first time. That was a big blow to her" Richard informs me honestly.

"Wow. You sure know a lot!" He's got my crying now "How didn't I see anything? I've messed everything up. I've wasted so much time trying to move on with my life and all along I wanted the same thing she did...just to be back as our family!"

"So why didn't you ever say anything to her?" asks Webber.

Before I could answer, not that I'm sure I did have an answer for that question, I see my little mini-me running towards me with Penny trailing behind her.

"Hi mija!" I say scooping her up into my lap and giving her the biggest hug.

"Hi mami, hi uncle Richard! Where's mama?" Sofia asks innocently.

"I'll leave you to it Torres but think about that answer and if you need anything just page me" says Richard as he leaves to go check in on Arizona.

"Oh baby girl she was hurt today at work, she was being a super hero saving me!" I explain to our daughter.

"Woah. Superhero?! Did she hurt her head like I did?" Sof asks showing me her scar.

"Not her head but she did hurt her back, we're just waiting for aunty Mer, aunty April and uncle Owen to fix her up!" I tell her holding her tighter to me.

"Is there anything I can do Calliope?" Asks Penny, it sounds so much better coming from Arizona.

"Could um, could you not call me that? It's just I would only ever let Arizona call me that and it's too painful right now knowing she's in there" I ask Penny who looks a bit upset, not that she has any right in this moment.

"Sure. I think I'll just go and talk to Bailey about the grant. Bye Sofia, bye Callie" Penny walks away but I'm too caught up in other emotions to think about her.

"Will mama be ok?" asks Sofia.

"I'm sure she will, she's a superhero after all but I think she may be in hospital for a little while to make sure she's better." I explain to our daughter.

"Can we look after mama when she leaves hospital?"

"Well we need for mama to wake up first baby and then we can discuss it with her but I'd like to help her out" I say to Sofia.

"Me too mama, me too. Oh and we can eat ice cream every night, it made me feel better when I was hurt" I laugh at this, she will do anything for ice cream, just like Arizona.  
"I miss the three musketeers" Sofia says, my heart clenching at this sentence, it was the term Arizona and Sof adapted for us three after reading about it one bedtime.

"So do I Sof, our little adventures in the garden were the best!" I tell her honestly.

"I preferred the magical den castle we made in my bedroom, when I was fighting off the baddies and you had to rescue mama with a kiss then we all lived happily ever after!" Sofia explains with excitement at the memory but she soon has a frown on her beautiful face.

"Sof?" I prompt her

"I miss mama living with us. It's not as fun when we live apart. I don't like it and I feel sad every time you switch me over. Did I do something wrong?" My baby asks with tears running down her face, this innocent little child.

"No baby this wasn't your fault, ever, so don't think it is. You are the ray of sunlight in both mine and mama's lives, we live for you Sofia Robbin Sloan-Torres! Me and mama just made some bad choices over the past few years but we never meant for them to hurt you." I try to explain

"I want to see mama now and hug her" Sofia says with a pout.

"I know you do, you can soon" I tell her, wanting nothing more myself either.

Me and Sofia must have been sitting for another hour when finally April comes out to see us, tears in her eyes. I stand up immediately with Sofia in my arms.

"April?"

"Callie I'm so sorry!" 


	4. Chapter 4

"April?"

"Callie I'm so sorry" ...

"Kepner?!"

"She gave us a scare but she's going to be fine" April informs me and relief instantly rolls off my shoulders, my heart rate starts to slow down to normal.

"Thank God! You scared the crap out of me crying! Sof mama is going to be ok!" I hug my baby girl closer.

"Aunty April why are you sad?" asks Sofia

"Oh sweety I'm sorry, they're happy tears! Your mama gave me a little scare, I think she was pulling a prank on me whilst she's sleeping! She's fine, just fine!" replies April.

Meredith and Owen come through the OR doors wheeling Arizona's bed and I feel tears form instantly in my eyes, she's would have died for me today, she's the bravest woman I know.

"Callie she's ok, she lost a lot of blood and the kidney was severely damaged but we managed to fix it without a transplant. She'll probably need a couple of weeks observation and she should wake up sometime tomorrow, she's been through a lot today!" explained Meredith.

"Thank you so much you three, I know you're the best but when April came out crying I thought she was gone!" I tell them.

"I'm sorry she's my best friend, it only hit me when we were closing up that I could have lost her and we've had a rough patch recently, as soon as she wakes up I'm apologising to her!" Says April.

"Get in line Kepner, the only faces she's seeing when she wakes up are these two!" I say pointing at Sof and myself. I look down at Arizona who is paler than usual, understandably so, even after these events she is so beautiful, a Goddess if you will, she's the mother of our child and the love of my life.

...

A few hours later we're up in Arizona's room, Sof is making a get well card and I'm sat next to Arizona, holding her hand in mine, I've not let go since we got here. I start thinking about what Richard asked me this evening, why didn't I ever say anything?! I get lost in thought on this for what seems like hours, only pulled out of my thoughts by Karev coming in.

"Alex hi!" Sofia runs over to Alex who picks her up with a smile.

"Hey kiddo, how are you?" He asks, he's really great with her, he'll make a great dad one day.

"Look I'm maling mama a card for when she wakes up!" she tells him pointing at the picture, it's only now I also look - she's drawn the of us with a house, the sight warms me up.

"How's she doing?" asks Alex concerned.

"Ok so far, no bleeping machines and her colour is coming back, it's just a waiting game until she wakes up. How are you?" I ask knowing he's one of Arizona's closest friends.

"Good. I was worried, why the hell do you two go through so much crap!?" he replies which makes me laugh.

"I have no idea, I think the universe is against us!" I reply.

"Yet you always beat the odds and come through everything" he states matter of fact.

"You know from your first case on PEDs Arizona always knew you'd take over the department and be an amazing surgeon...She's rooted for you from day one Karev" I tell him honestly remembering Arizona telling me how he saved a band geek.

"Shut up" he says shyly looking at Arizona "she's a great teacher and friend" he continued.

"I think it's more than that Alex, she considers you a little brother, she's very protective of you" I let him know and I can see a bit more moisture in his eyes at this statement.

"I feel like a protective brother towards her, especially the last few years after you split up. She was lower then than after the plane crash and leg" he tells me, my curiosity picking up.

"Really? I didn't think it could get worse than that!" I respond.

"I still feel so guilty about the leg, I never should have let you take the blame, I wanted to tell her so many times. I feel part responsible for your break up. If she had known from the beginning it was me then maybe you'd both still be together. I mean it sucks to lose a limb but to also then lose your family, I couldn't think of anything worse!" I always appreciate how bluntly honest this man can be but only taking note now how right he is.

Arizona didn't want to split up, that was my call, like it was my call to take blame for the leg, it's always my call...that's it...I didn't say anything to get her back because I feel guilty that it was my choice to end us, I've never deserved to even ask her about feelings. It was all my call. These past 12 hours have been more insightful than an additional six months of therapy. Thanks to these wonderful friends, no, family of Arizona's they've all helped me finally sort my crap out as Karev called it.

"Karev you're a good man, you'll make a wonderful family" I tell him truthfully.

"Thanks, do me a favour, when she wakes up tell her you love her because she feels the same damnit!" He says casually then leaves me and Sof to it.

Sofia goes back to finishing her card and I look to Arizona, a piece of her golden blonde hair had fallen over her face, I gently smooth it back behind her ear.

"Please wake up soon beautiful, I've got so much to say to you, I'll be waiting for you" I whisper to her and place a soft kiss to her lips and sit back in my seat.

"Calliope..."


	5. Finale

"Calliope"...

"Oh Arizona! You're awake! Are you ok are you? Are you in pain, do you need anything?" I ask frantically with tears rolling down my cheeks, _she's alive!_

"Water?" She asks me weakly and I run to sort out a drink for her, helping her take a few sips.

"Mama you're awake!" Sofia is excitedly trying to jump up on her bed.

"Calm down sweetie, we don't want you jumping on mama whilst she's sore" I explain.

"There's my baby girl! Come lay next to me carefully" responds Arizona with tears in her eyes "I didn't know if I'd see you again!" She explained.

"I missed you Mama, Mami said you were her superhero! You're my superhero too! I love you!" says Sofia softly whilst gently settling next to Arizona on her bed.

"Is that so? Superhero huh?" She asks me with questioning eyes, I take a seat on the edge of the bed and hold Arizona's hand, noticing she doesn't pull away, I interlock our fingers.

"Do you remember what happened?" I ask.

"Mmmm vaguely...its a bit of a blur, I remember diving at that man and knocking the knife from him, then looking back to check you were out of the room briefly...the rest is blank" Arizona tells me.

"Oh Arizona...you scared the crap out of me! If you weren't injured I'd seriously smack you hard in the arm right now! I can't believe you! We could have lost you!" I berate her, but not too harshly. I'm so angry at her but also so happy she'll be ok.

"Robbins! You're awake, you ok?!" Bailey asks coming in and checking the vitals when she walked past the room.

"All good Chief, just coming around and a little hazy!" Arizona replies.

"Good to hear, everything looks ok here, feel free to pump the morphine if needed, I'm taking you off it tomorrow, I trust you to use it wisely!" Bailey warns her.

"Bailey, would you mind taking Sof to daycare for a bit so we can talk?" I ask Miranda with knowing eyes.

"I'll do one better, I'll take her for some ice cream and jello!" She says which instantly prompts a hyper little girl jump off the bed!

"Mama I'll bring you some strawberry jello its your favourite!" Sofia says to Arizona, our kid is so thoughtful. Arizona flashes her dimples the best she can.

"Callie what happened exactly because my back is aching!" Arizona asks me once we're alone.

"All I saw was you coming out of that room but the man had lunged at you just as you were escaping and he had put the knife in your lower back. As you hit the ground you blacked out instantly and the sniper got him...he's finally with his daughter in another life and you are safe and here with us" I explain the events, Arizona was nodding her head in understanding.

"What's the damage?" She asks me

"A few weeks recovery but no transplant needed, you did have a blood transfusion though and a deep laceration to the kidney but Hunt, Mer and April fixed you up" I let her know.

"Good, good. What about you, are you ok?" She asks me concerned and I just let out an exasperated laugh.

"Arizona, you're the one in a hospital bed after a big surgery and you're asking how I am?!"

"Callie you were held at knife point by a grieving man, even if he didn't hurt you physically, it may have had an emotional and mental affect!" Arizona says.

"I'm fine, it was nothing. I've been through worse remember!" I reply.

"Unfortunately I do remember, I'm glad you're ok though. As soon as I found out he was looking for you, my mind flipped and I just had to make sure he didn't hurt you. Sofia couldn't go through losing another parent!" I look at her incredulously...

"Arizona...you put your life on the line for me...if anything happened to you she would have lost her mama! She would have been devastated...hell I would have been too!" I tell her truthfully "Why didn't you just stay out of the room, I could have talked him down instead of you almost dying!"

"Isn't it obvious?!" she asks me

"Clearly not!" I respond gripping her hand tighter.

"I'd risk my life everyday to save yours and Sofia's...that's what you do for the people you love" Arizona tells me.

"Arizona..." I start, noticing her push her morphine button.

"No Callie, can I just say here that I've never fallen out of love with you, even when you were happier than ever with your new girlfriend, I continued to love you and I've waited ever since you left me, hoping you'd return...we always came back together in the end" My eyes tear up at my ex-wife's confession "will there ever be another chance for me and you?" She's asks me almost nervously, looking down at our intertwined hands.

I start to sob and can't help but lean down to hug her as gently as I can without hurting her more, we stay there for a couple of minutes just holding each other until I can regulate my breathing, _she still uses that strawberry shampoo which is addictive to smell!_ I pull back from the hug and look at those gorgeous blue eyes which could keep me in a trance forever, time to break the walls again.

"Arizona, I fell in love with you because of the million things you didn't know you were doing. You gave me confidence, trust and belief in understanding and accepting my true self. You being you, made me a better me. You stood up to my father and apparently told him you love me before you told me...which in hindsight was a very noble thing to do, he warmed to you from that moment. You brought sunshine and butterflies into my life - both literal and metaphorical! Being in love with you was worth the fall, it was the most fun I'd ever had being in a relationship. Just a smile from you would make my day but knowing that I'd get to fall asleep and wake up with you every morning was my peace. I had won in life with you by my side" I paused here, not ready to look at my ex-wife just yet and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Arizona, I was such an idiot. I never should have bragged so much about Penny or flaunted her around so much...especially if I had known you weren't ready to hear or see it. I was ignorant towards your feelings and I'm truly sorry about that. Especially after these past 48 hours, I've come to a realisation that honestly, I've never being in love with Penny...it was the thought of being in love...she was a simple distraction from the truth, something easy, it was the feeling, not the person...I'm a romantic after all..."

"Callio.."

"No let me finish please...you know my track record of relationships! YOU were the only one that counted as a real relationship. I mean George was George, who couldn't love him but it was only the idea of being in love that I married him - deep down I knew he loved Izzy so that's one of my regrets in life. Then Erica came along and it was an experimental distraction to try something new - that didn't really count. Then one night, this stunning blonde haired, blue eyed, dimple-grinning, beautiful woman came into my life, in a dirty bar bathroom and shook my whole world up. After that kiss, my life would never be the same again. I knew you had came into my life for something big, call it fate or destiny but I knew something great was about to happen". I looked to Arizona who had tears in her eyes, I squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"I have never had or known a love as great as ours. We've had more challenges thrown at us in the past 7 years than anyone experiences in a lifetime. We've always fought to get through it and the love still remains. I am so sorry for everything I did wrong to throw us off course. I should have come to Africa with you, but I don't regret having our beautiful baby girl so for that part I won't apologise but I am sorry for the way it happened. I should have told you the truth about your leg from the start, not let you think it was me because I didn't love you anymore, it was because I loved you so much and thought it'd be best, I should have told you it was Alex that made the cut but it was still MY decision...I don't regret making the choice between your leg and your life. I knew I could build you a new leg...I couldn't build a life without you, there wouldn't be a life worth living without you. My final regrets...I will forever be sorry I wasn't there to support you with the miscarriage, I can't even imagine what it was like for you, I was so caught up with Travis and his legs because there was nobody else to do my job, but my job and focus should have been on supporting you and grieving our lost child and I'm sorry for suggesting so soon to try again, you had lost enough!" I can't control the tears now streaming down my face, a mirror image to Arizona.

"The divorce. You didn't see it coming. I was pissed with you for even suggesting a break at the beginning but should have known after all the trauma of recent years you needed a time out just to rediscover yourself. I didn't see that at the time. I thought you needed a break from me, not a break for you. This was me thinking you had lost your love for me so I buried myself in work, wine and tequila for 30 days but did so much work because I didn't have you to distract myself with. I thought it was a good thing, when really, we all need distractions in life. You were always my distraction and Sofia. If I had a good or bad day I could come home and there would be my girls and that was what made my day. Part of me thinks it was my way of getting you back for suggesting time apart, you know how I love and feel so hard and do things on instinct without a second thought. Well I should have had a second thought on this and not jumped the gun. You didn't want any of it, I made the call. At the end of the day, it was always me making the wrong calls, not you. I don't even blame you anymore for the cheating or anything because I've realised I made mistakes just as bad too so I'm sorry Arizona". I have never felt so much weight lift off my shoulders with all these confessions "you have a lot of family here that helped me realise things today!".

"God damnit Callie, it took me almost dying for you to use your words?" Arizona asks, crying and smiling "can I hug you again?" She asks me.

"Of course" I reply and lean in to embrace her, it still amazes me how perfect we fit together.

"Arizona, my biggest regret is holding back that I've never fallen out of love with you, I don't believe I ever could. You have the biggest part of my heart and that will never change, you left your mark the day you walked into my life and it'll stay there forever. I want you in my life forever, not just as Sofia's other mother, but as my wife until our dying days". I pull bag from the embrace, moving my hand up to Arizona's soft cheek, wiping the tears with my thumb. She moves her hand up over mine and looks between my eyes and my lips...once...twice...I lean forward and meet her soft lips in a loving moment... _she has the softest and most delicious lips I've ever known_ I think to myself. It's a slow and sensual kiss portraying how sorry I am and holding a promise for the future. We pull apart and look at each other, I see a spark return to Arizona's eyes, I've missed that spark.

"Calliope I've missed you so much and thank you for opening up and being so honest. I love you, I'm so in love with you and I want us back. Forever. No more fights, just love and communication, we can do it right?" Arizona asks me with hope.

"Yeah, we can. We'll make it work not just for us but for Sof and the other 9 kids we'll have!" I laugh at the memory. "It's all going to start with all of us moving back to our house when you get discharged and me and Sof will help you recover!" I inform her.

"Wait, you didn't sell the house?" Arizona asks me in surprise.

"No, I couldn't bring myself to go through with it...I kept onto it as my own hope that one day we'd all live there again as a happy family" I admit to my ex...maybe not ex-wife.

"Oh Calliope come here!" She motions towards her, I lean and and she pulls me into her lips again, this time more desperate and passionate, our lips caressing the others, I slowly lick my tongue along her bottom lip which earns a small moan, this allows me to enter her sweet sweet mouth, our tongues dance for the first time in years and I know this is what I want for life. We both allow deep, satisfied moans to escape the feeling and break apart slowly.

"Wow...I missed you are your kisses!" I tell Arizona, she is a skilled kisser.

"I've missed you too...we have a lot of catching up to do!" She chuckles dreamily but then looks confused.

"What about perfect Penny?" Arizona asks me.

"Uh..."

"You probably don't need to worry about her" Bailey announces walking back in the room with Sofia, who runs up to Arizona with her strawberry jello.

"Thanks baby!" Arizona responds pulling Sof to her side.

"What do you mean?" I ask Bailey.

"She's just handed in her notice with immediate effect and said she knew what was going to happen here so thought she'd take away an obstacle for you...I must admit...I never thought much of Blake but she made the right choice here! Oh well, on with rounds!" Bailey leaves us.

"Well...that makes things easier! By the way...Perfect Penny never had anything on Amazingly Awesome Arizona!" I say which earns me a dimpled smile from Arizona.

"Hey Sof, how about when mama is feeling better we all move back to our old house?" I ask our daughter.

"Like the three musketeers?!" She squeals excitedly flashing her dimples which are just as cute as Arizona's.

"Yeh sweety, the three musketeers back together forever...how does that sound?" Arizona asks her.

"That sounds like what I always wanted to happen, mommies are you back in love again?" She asks us, very smart girl.

"We never really fell out of love, we just got lost along the way, now we've met in the middle again and we'll all live happily ever after!" Arizona explained.

"You are the poem I never knew how to write and this life is the story I always wanted to tell" I tell Arizona honestly. We meet in the middle for another kiss full of untold promises of an exciting future.

"I'm glad we found our way back to each other Calliope...with you, I am home" Arizona tells me.

"I love you" I tell her, holding her hand.

"You do?" She asks. I nod.

"I love you too" she tells me.

 _You will forever be my always..._


End file.
